Tamil Nadu doctors' association criticizes redeployment of Junior Resident Posts
Chennai: The Tamil Nadu Medical Officers Association (TNMOA) has strongly criticised the state government for redeploying 59 sanctioned posts instead of creating new ones. The association has condemned the Health Department’s decision to redeploy junior resident (JR) posts across medical colleges in Tamil Nadu.
According to the TNMOA, the department had issued a Government Order (GO) announcing the creation of 59 posts in various medical institutions. However, the association clarified that these were not newly sanctioned posts but rather those surrendered from different medical college hospitals under the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DME), reports The New Indian Express. Expressing disappointment, the TNMOA demanded the immediate withdrawal of the GO and urged the government to approve fresh posts along with appropriate postgraduate seats for the 11 new medical colleges in the state to strengthen medical education and healthcare delivery.
In a statement, the TNMOA stated that the step will not bring about any positive changes in the public health system; rather, it will initiate a workforce crunch, thus increasing the burden on existing staff. This might compromise the quality of care provided to the needy patients who depend on government hospitals every day.
“If the state’s objective is to expand PG medical education, new posts with fresh financial sanction should be created. This is mere redistribution, which results in net loss of service strength and further strain on critical departments,” it said. Another GO has been issued on October 3 by Director of Medical Education Dr R Suganthy Rajakumari, instructing all the deans and heads of medical colleges to relieve assistant professors and senior residents from various departments in six colleges from the state, informing them about the redeployment of nine posts for the creation of speciality departments at the Kalaignar Centenary Super Speciality Hospital, Guindy, reports the Daily.
The doctors are demanding the creation of new posts; meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Health and Family Welfare Minister Ma Subramanian announced that 25 new government hospitals will be established across the state, with an investment of Rs 1,019 crore. The proposed hospitals are planned in locations including Tiruttani, Tambaram, Palani, Tirupattur, Kangeyam, Jayankondam, Thirukovilur, and Paramakudi.
